They feel a consultation on the future of care services has left them out.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran is currently working on a draft document called “Ten Year Vision for Joint Services – Reshaping Care for Older People”.

But after Monday’s board meeting was presented with an update, members heard how a group of GPs had written a four-page email raising concerns about it.

The meeting was told that they felt as “the people on the coalface” they should have been more involved in the consultation.

GPs felt they had to know more about how changes to the services for the elderly would end up affecting their role, the meeting was told.

The email wasn’t read out or presented to the meeting.

But health board chief executive John Burns promised to have their concerns looked at.

He said: “There is a need to engage with GPs.

“We need to get round the table, recognising that there is a discussion to be had with them.”

The board’s “vision” for elderly services outlines how care services could be delivered in the future in conjunction with local authorities and voluntary organisations.

The move is being driven due to the region’s ageing population and a squeeze in finance.

Consultation is taking place with groups such as elderly forums and carers.

A finalised plan is being lined up for completion at the end of February.

The document refers to bringing all care providers together so that services are properly aligned.

It states: “We have introduced hubs in some areas of Ayrshire, where health and social care professionals work side-by-side to provide a range of services.

“They work together to care for the person at home for as long as possible to reduce the need for the person to be admitted to hospital.”

The plan also suggests elderly people could be comprehensively assessed when arriving at accident and emergency so they could be diverted away from hospital towards care at home or a “brief-spell” in a care home.

It points out that care homes could be an “alternative to hospital” and aims to reduce the number of long stay care home places and increasing the number of places used for respite and rehabilitation.